The Nightingale Girls - By Donna Douglas Page 0,100

to hear any more about what Blanche thought of her. Not when she’d let her down so badly.

William joined them. Elsie Wilkins was most impressed when he introduced himself.

‘A doctor, eh? Blimey, Blanche had some friends in high places, didn’t she? Do you lot always turn out for patients’ funerals?’

William shot Millie a sidelong look. ‘Blanche was very special,’ he said.

‘Well, she’ll be pleased you came.’ Mrs Wilkins started looking around for her children, who had wandered off to explore the churchyard. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d best be going. We’ve got a train to catch.’

‘You’re not having a send-off then?’ Dora frowned.

Mrs Wilkins shot her a guilty look. ‘I didn’t think I’d bother with all that,’ she said. ‘My sister didn’t have many friends – not the kind I’d want to associate with anyway. Besides, funerals cost money, and it’s not as if Blanche left us anything for the expenses.’ Her chin lifted defensively. ‘It’s been very hard on me, you know. I only lost my husband a few months back. I’ve had to get someone to look after the farm while I came all the way up here, and that costs money too . . .’

‘Of course.’ William switched on the easy charm that worked so well on his patients. ‘We understand, Mrs Wilkins. You need to get your children home. It’s been a long day for all of you.’

‘That it has.’ The woman looked mollified. ‘I would have done something for Blanche,’ she said to Millie and Dora. ‘But I have to put my family first.’

‘Blanche was family too,’ Millie muttered, as they watched Mrs Wilkins head off towards the gates of the churchyard, leading her string of children.

‘I’ve known families pawn everything they had to give someone a decent funeral,’ Dora agreed.

‘And there’s no reason why we can’t do the same.’ William looked at them both. ‘We don’t need Blanche’s sister to give her a good send-off. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to the King’s Arms to drink to her. Would you care to join me?’

Millie glanced at Dora.

‘Don’t look at me,’ she said. ‘I have to be back on duty at five. Sister Blake might be a nice woman, but I doubt she’d understand if I went back stinking of drink!’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Millie told William.

‘Are you sure?’ Dora frowned. ‘East End pubs can be a bit rough at the best of times, and the King’s Arms has a bad reputation . . .’

‘I’m sure William will protect me.’

Dora shot him a look, as if to say that idea was no comfort at all. ‘Just see that you do,’ she warned him.

They didn’t mean to stay quite so long. The afternoon turned into evening and the pub became crowded with dockers, filling the hot, stuffy bar with laughter, raised voices and cigarette smoke. Over in the corner, someone was banging out a tune on an old piano.

‘If you were the only girl in the world, and I were the only boy . . .’

William smiled. ‘I can just imagine Blanche sitting at the bar, giving all the men the eye, can’t you?’

‘She’d be laughing and singing louder than anyone,’ Millie agreed. ‘No wonder she loved this place so much.’ She raised her glass again. ‘To Blanche.’

‘To Blanche.’ William’s hand shook as he raised his glass to his lips. He’d lost count of how many times they’d toasted her.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was dimly aware that it was getting late and he should think about getting Millie back to the nurses’ home. But he was enjoying himself too much to want the evening to end.

Millie sipped her drink. ‘Do you know, I rather like port and lemon,’ she said thoughtfully.

‘You should, you’ve had enough of them!’

She squinted at him. ‘Do you think I’m squiffy?’

‘I don’t know. I’m too drunk myself to tell.’

She giggled. ‘Oh, dear, we’re behaving rather badly, aren’t we? I’m sure Blanche would approve.’

William studied her. She was unbelievably pretty, with her soft lips, small, slightly upturned nose and the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

But it wasn’t just the way she looked. Millie was also the sweetest, gentlest girl he had ever met. She didn’t flirt and giggle about nothing the way other girls did. She seemed genuinely interested, asking about his work and his family. For once William didn’t feel as if he needed to impress her. He wanted her to know everything about him, good and bad. He even found himself telling